Expertise over many years in the boat Industry : UK company "Excel
Boats" is owned subsidiary of Meridian Marine International.Company
is now offering
a new range of inflatable boats,Best materials supplied from the
best suppliers is the only way to ensure the greatest quality,which
would fulfil the hard criteria of excellent value and ideal design
with traditional construction methods. Our Excel inflatable-boats
are available in a large selection of fabrics and colour combinations.

Highly successful and comprehensive range of high specification
stability and reinforced inflatable boats & RIBs, come with
5 year guarantee on boatconstruction and fabric. The Inflatable
Boat range includes small size models, for recretional use , high
performance models for water sports and diving and large inflatable
boats for commercial or professional use. All excel models over
2,5m are manufactured with the strongest "Hytex" fabric
and decitex-fabric for
commercial boats

ExcelInflatable Boat Models:

From smallest and lightweight "SD160" to largest professional
"XHD700" can you see below: (REVIEW AND DETAILS) www.excel-inflatables.co.uk

It's probably a little known fact but more learned individuals
than I have pointed out that the average age of people getting afloat
is increasing. That's not to say they're all getting older, it's
just that more and more people who're new to boating are from the
older end of the spectrum rather than the younger end. There are
a number of reasons cited for this including more income, spending
the kids inheritance and people living longer and staying more active
into older age. However, one of the more worrying trends could be
that we're not getting youngsters interested in this pastime. The
Dame Ellens of this world help to raise the profile, but boating
is still seen by many as an elitist and high cost activity. Being
the father of a thirteen year old boy. who's had a long held interest
in boats and just about anything else that floats, I can confirm
that not every boat on offer appeals to youngsters, just as much
as they don't all appeal to adults.

EXCEL INFLATABLES

So, in our search for an ideal boat that'll get the young folk
eager to take to the water we tried a couple of small inflatables
from Excel Inflatables. The idea was that they would provide good
fun as well as the right 'look' to encourage youngsters to get afloat.
But as those of us with more than just a few summers behind us know,
looks aren't everything. How do they perform? No matter how acceptable
they may be to younger eyes, they'll have to work well and perform
as expected. The two boats we tried we felt were ideal for this
type of youngster and family use. The smaller SD260 was quick and
easy to inflate (an important issue) and was robust and well made.
With an inflatable floor panel and keel the boat was more than up
to the job of navigating the Severn around Shrewsbury. To start
off with, and the majority of the trip, the 260 was fitted with
a 2.5hp fourstroke Suzuki. Easy to start and quiet in operation,
this engine would be more than able to push the 260 to around the
9mph mark, but we kept well below this. This size boat, with an
engine of this horsepower, provides an easily handled boat with
enough performance to make it interesting for youngsters. The noise
level is low and fuel consumption is also kept realistic; ideal
for rivers and lakes as well as sheltered and safe estuaries.

SOLO MISSION

After some instructions and a period of supervision, during which
all the aspects of handling and safety were covered, our 'chief
tester' took the 260 out for a first solo mission! The verdict:
"great". The boat handled well and provided just the right
balance of performance and ease of use without any potential problems.
We're lucky in having quiet areas of river a short distance from
our slip on the river and, with the levels being so low, the majority
of the water used was shallow enough for an adult to wade in, adding
an extra safety margin.

MOVING UP Rated for three adults the 260 is fine for smaller groups,
but if you want to take up to five adults or, as in our case, spare
gear and camera equipment, the SD330 is an ideal choice. Built to
the same specification as the 260, the larger boat provided plenty
of room for three adults and all our gear. It would be easy to imagine
a family using this boat and we married it up with a 4hp Johnson
four-stroke. It was a bit noisier than the 2.5 Suzuki, but it achieved
a creditable 6mph.

The same air floor and keel made it comfortable and, although more
work is involved in pumping it up, it was still quite a quick job.
Having said that. I would like to see a boat of this size on a trailer
if it were mine and I would keep it inflated throughout most of
the season making you better able to take advantage of decent conditions.
As a family boat it's ideal and just the sort of boat to use with
young children. Equipped with oars (as both boats were) the chance
to enjoy some peace and quiet is also available and this allows
most children the chance to propel the boat and get a feel for boating.
Boats like this can also interest the naturalist in the family as
using the oars to quietly follow the flow of a river can allow you
to approach wildlife you may well miss if using an engine.

INSPIRATIONAL?

So, would our Excel boats provide the interest to inspire the next
generation to keep afloat? Well, in our case our son was already
a keen boater so we were rather preaching to the converted, but
he was impressed with the 260, so much so that I've been pestered
since the trip for a repeat! Our daughter is another matter. With
horses being the focus of her attention anything to do with boats
tends to leave her uninterested but, with the close proximity of
the wildlife, even she thought the trip was a success and would
be only too keen to go again. As for us, both boats were ideal and
would seem to have hit the right balance between quality and price
making them very affordable whilst remaining durable and well made.
So our verdict, therefore, must be a thumbs up to the Excel inflatables.
Whatever type of boat interests youngsters, be they canoes, skiffs
or dinghies, it's all good news to the pastime if it keeps their
interest in boating. As with all areas of marine recreation training
and safety must be paramount and to this end we all have a responsibility
to ensure the safety of our children and the others who share the
same waterways.

Excel VoyagerSR 270Group test

Sailing Today Magazine - June 2012

Excel Voyager SR 270

Excel inflatables produces an extensive range of high specification
inflatable boats and RlBs, from 1 6m-7.0m LOA. All of Its boats
above 2.5m long are fully compliant wrth CE category C for Inshore
sea use and are manufactured from Hytex 1100 Decitex fabnc as standard,
available in grey, white, black and more colours. Ail carry a five
year guarantee. Hypalon tubes are also available in some colours,
by special order. All SR models feature a GRP non-slip floor and
hull with a deep Vee keel for strength, stability and seaworthiness.
The range includes 2.4. 2.7. 3.0 and 3.3m models The Voyager SR270
is a well proportioned RIB and one that has enough buoyancy to support
a 10 hp outboard engine with ease. Unlike the Zodiac, the transom
is part of the hull moulding, so it doesn't fold flat when deflated,
but this is the same with most RIBs. so can't really be held agamst
it.

The layout is excellent for rowing. Although the aluminium seat
isn't adjustable, it appeared to be in just the correct position
for all of our testers to row easily. It also has two substantial
transom support fillets, which double perfectly as fool supports
when rowing. The large diameter tubes not only provide extra buoyancy,
but also lift the oars well clear of the rower's legs, unlike some.
The RIB attached with an 8hp Vector outboard attached, as the company
that supplies Excel RIBs ts also a dealer for the Vector outboard
range. While weighing the same as a 9 9hp motor, the RIB was well
able to support its weight without lifting its bows too high off
the water or making her unmanageable at tow speeds In fact, she
was one of the better small RlBs to manoeuvre at low speeds. We
liked the simplicity of this tender as well. Single lifelines each
side give you somethng infinitery adjustable to hold onto - unlike
those with fixed handles. They would also be easier to grab should
you ever fall out and need to pull yourself back on board.

The Excel has six stout carrying handles
- three each side - which makes it easy to launch. It also has strong
davit lifting points and a useful bow handle. It doesn't, however,
have two shoulder rings for towing with a bridle, which is unusual
and a little disappointing - meaning it can only be towed using
a single, straight tow line to the centre ring. It does have an
anchor ring in the sole forward, though, and a reinforced bow patch
to stop the rode chafing the tubes.

The payload of this RIB is a generous 490kg including engine,
which means it will take three average sized adults, a 10hp motor
and a few bags of provisions without much worry. The sole/floor
is flat with non-slip tread moulded into the GRP. This makes it
much easier to walk about in than those with steep vee sides and
it's also easy to mount a remote fuel tank thanks to the chocks
and webbing strap on the sole of the forward section, in this position
the weight of the fuel helps balance the vessel at speed.

The Excel also has a small bilge aft, which allows the drain hole
to be lower than the floor level, meaning it ts possible to remove
all the water without bailing and any few remaining drips simply
drop into the bilge and won't slop around your feet or shopping.
Under engine, with two passengers (a total paytoad of around 220kg),
it struggled a little to get up on the plane, but did so after 20
seconds or so and then had no trouble remaining there between speeds
of 8.5-15.3kn (max). She is easy to handle and directonally stable
through the speed range. At top speed no spray came over and her
wash was perfectly reasonable.

VERDICT

At 2.7m long the Excel is the typical size a cruising yacht might
need tor tender duty and probably the ideal size for stowing on
the foredeck of a 35-50ft monohull, or in davits on the stem.

The Excel is very stable, buoyant and predictable under way and
looks to be well made and hardwearing, with all her fixings well
anchored. At the price, she should also prove to be good value for
money, particularly if bought as a package with the Vector outboard.

Contact: Excel Inflatables

Tel: 0121 323 2333

Web: www.excel-inflatables.co.uk

Excelon Test

Avon Redstart

www.avoninflatables.co.uk

Avon's long-estabilished Redstart was the only tender tested made
from Hypalon, which is known for its longevity and remains flexible
at lower temperatures than PVC. The dlinghy comes with Avon's trademark
two-piece wooden oars, which are secured by a piastic ferrule to
avoid corrosion, and ship in rubber horseshoe type rowlocks. Fixing
holes are provrJed on each rowfock for a bungee to secure the oar
should the rower let go, but the bungees themsetves are not fitted.
Avon have also removed the straps which older models had to secure
the oar biades when shipped. However. the team liked the new design
of outboard bracket, which is made from glassfibre ard attaches
snugly with four mushroom buttons. This was the onty dinghy to use
an inflatable thwart, which adds valuable extra buoyancy. Out the
thwart was not to everyone's taste Atari and Pam didn't like it,
but Tony found it comfortable. The slatted floor fits aft from the
seat and can be detached, or an inflatable floor is available. A
strong lifeline on each side doubles as a carry hardle. The dinghy
performed well under oars and outboard.

Excel RT230

www.seamark-marine.co.uk

The second most expensive model we tested, the Exoel quickly made
friends with the test team thanks to its lightweight ribbed aluminium
seat, which was the only type not to become slippery when wet. The
oars are retained by pins, and the boat proved very popular with
tall testers Bob and Alan, who found enough room for their legs.
Only available woth an airdeck floor, this was also the only tender
with a cylindrical hand pump, which includes a pressure gauge. Praise
was given to instructions printed on the tube on how to infiate/deflaie.
The engine bracket was made from stainless steel tubing slotting
into sockets on the rear tube, and the tender performed well under
oars and engine.

Seago T230T

www.seagoyachting.co.uk

Instantly recognisable wtfh its smart varnished thwart and engine
bracket, this model comes exclusively with an airdeck floor. Like
Avon, Seago have chosen conventionally-shaped rowlocks in rubber,
this time with aluminium oars with narrow detachable blades. Bungee
was provided to secure the oars and two straps to secure the blades.
The vanished seat of tho Seago proved less slippery than the painted
versions on other tenders. The engine bracket is of painted steel.
The dinghy performed well under engne. but was tricky to row Oiwing
to unnecessarily short oars. Following PBO feedback. Seago says
it will include longer oars In future.PBO

Related items:

How do you select oars

The best oar is a solid, one-piece pine oar. If the boat is a lightweight
shell intended for rowing, the Plastimo lightweights are a good
choice. For a heavier rowboat, workboat or craft intended for use
with a motor that's going to be row only occasionally, regular-duty
oars are preferred.

The length of the oar should be determined by the beam of the boat
– between 1 and 1-1/4 times the beam of the boat is about right.
A typical 16-foot rowboat with a beam of 6 feet would thus require
oars between 6 and 7-1/2 feet in length. This may sound a little
long but remember that the longer the oar, the more leverage you
as a rower have on the water.

Wooden oars should be protected by plastic or leather collars where
they ride in the row locks.

As a safety item for maneuvering a heavy boat when the engine quits,
you might consider a paddle (or two) instead of oars. Since paddles
are used infrequently, they can be shorter and made of lighter materials
such as aluminum or plastic.